Dropping leaflets from the sky, Israel warns Palestinians living in southern Gaza to flee, fueling concerns that the Israel-Hamas conflict will spread to areas that Israeli officials had previously indicated were safe. However, it’s unclear where those 100,000 Palestinians can safely retreat.
In southern Gaza, Egypt is only allowing select individuals – such as those carrying dual citizenship, the injured, or sick — to cross the Rafah border.
Meanwhile, Israeli bombardment is continuing in northern Gaza as Israeli soldiers remain active inside and around the Al-Shifa Hospital complex. The complex is the largest in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted a video to X Thursday, Nov. 16, displaying AK-47s, grenades, weapons, and a laptop. The IDF says the gear belonged to Hamas militants, who used the hospital as a command center to carry out their military operations.
“There’s an AK-47, there are cartridges, ammo, there are grenades in here, of course uniform,” said IDF spokesperson Johnathan Conricus, pointing a Hamas “grab bag” full of military equipment. “And all of this was hidden very conveniently, secretly behind the MRI machine.”
The IDF is now under growing pressure to release proof and video evidence of Hamas’ infrastructure command complex, which the IDF says is below the Al-Shifa Hospital. United States officials have also backed up Israel’s claim. On Wednesday, President Biden that Hamas’ use of tunnels under hospitals in Gaza is a war crime.
“You have a situation where the first war crime is being committed by Hamas by having their headquarters, their military hidden under a hospital,” Biden told reporters at APEC. “And that’s a fact. That’s what’s happened.”
In a post on Telegram, a member of Hamas’ political office accused Israel of “staging a shameful play” and fabricating the military evidence that Israeli soldiers claim they found in Al-Shifa, CNN reported.
Hamas and Al-Shifa Hospital staff have repeatedly denied using the hospital as a command center to carry out military operations.
If Hamas tunnels are not uncovered under the hospital, that could mean Israel violated international humanitarian law.
Currently, Israeli and U.S. officials are trying to negotiate a deal with Hamas for the release of at least 50 hostages – women and children – in exchange for Palestinian women and children who being held in Israeli prisons, according to CBS.
U.S. officials have confirmed that Hamas is holding nearly 240 hostages captive, including nine Americans. President Biden seemingly confirmed that Israel will pause it’s strikes on Gaza to allow the exchange of hostages to take place.
“We’ve gotten great cooperation from Qatar,” Biden said. “I’ve spoken with them, as well, a number of times. I think the pause the Israelis have agreed to.”
Biden continued while looking at Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the crowd.
“I’m getting into too much detail, I know Mr. Secretary.” Biden said. “I’m going to stop, but I am mildly hopeful.”
Last month, Hamas released four female hostages – two Americans and two Israelis.
